Sex case against Pocono Mountain West teacher heads to court

Thursday

Mar 14, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Well-spoken and poised, a 17-year-old Pocono Mountain West High School senior testified Wednesday about how his former teacher had sex with him at the teacher's home in the summer of 2011, when the boy was 15.

ANDREW SCOTT

Well-spoken and poised, a 17-year-old Pocono Mountain West High School senior testified Wednesday about how his former teacher had sex with him at the teacher's home in the summer of 2011, when the boy was 15.

That teacher, Christopher Martinelli, 38, of Tobyhanna, sat handcuffed and listening next to defense attorney James Swetz in Tobyhanna Magisterial District Judge Anthony Fluegel's courtroom.

Behind the beard-stubbled Martinelli sat his family and supporters, shaking their heads at his accuser's testimony.

After the hearing, Fluegel found sufficient evidence to send all charges against Martinelli, including involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and statutory sexual assault, to trial in county court.

Fluegel also kept Martinelli's bail in Monroe County Correctional Facility at $200,000, though the defense had requested it be lowered on grounds that Martinelli is not a flight risk and has a good community reputation.

His head slightly bowed and hands joined in front of him, the boy entered the courtroom, took the stand and testified to the following:

He first met Martinelli, a social studies teacher, in the eighth grade. The two began talking to each other through Facebook and later through text messages, and Martinelli later sent him Valentine's Day cards.

In late June 2011, Martinelli met the boy at the Casino Theater on Route 611 in Mount Pocono, where the boy's parents had dropped him off, and took the boy to his home.

The boy and Martinelli listened to music downstairs for a short time and then went up to Martinelli's bedroom, where they performed oral sex on each other. Martinelli later dropped him outside nearby A Pocono Country Place's main gate, where the boy's parents later picked him up.

Days later, on July 4, Martinelli again met the boy at the Casino Theater and took him to his house, where Martinelli gave the boy a condom and then had the boy give him anal sex in the bedroom. Martinelli again dropped the boy outside APCP's main gate afterward.

It was not clear from Wednesday's testimony whether the boy had specifically told his parents he was meeting with Martinelli.

The boy came forward to police March 5 after his mother found "too many" text messages to someone named "Chris."

The prosecution objected and was sustained when the defense asked what the boy told his parents and if he told anyone else what happened between July 4 and March 5.

"It doesn't matter," Assistant District Attorney Michael Rakaczewski said in his objection.

One of Martinelli's family members spoke out and said, "Yes it does," prompting Rakaczewski to object to her outburst. Swetz asked Martinelli's family and supporters to refrain from further outbursts.

Police said they found a loaded shotgun and suspected suicide note at Martinelli's home upon his arrest, of which the defense said it was unaware. Holding hands, some of the family members wept when Fluegel sent all charges to county court and kept Martinelli's bail amount at $200,000.

"Mr. Martinelli vigorously, vehemently denies these allegations and will have his day (in county court at a future date)," Swetz said.